News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 22 April (BelTA) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has emphasized the importance of preserving independence and unity in Belarus. The Belarusian leader made this statement as he delivered the State of the Nation Address on 22 April, BelTA has learnt.

“I am speaking to you in this difficult time. The countries around us got in motion. Ukraine is boiling; Russia is rising again. The borders are shifting. For the first time in many years, Europe smells of explosions again,” the head of state said.

The President noted that the post-Soviet period is now over; a new era is about to start and no one knows what it will be like. “Fortunately, it is quiet in our country. We are still a responsible and reliable partner on the international arena wishing that all nations live peacefully. We are not involved in external conflicts. Still, we have to be concerned. We do not live on some isolated island in the middle of the ocean. Any geopolitical cataclysms, especially in Eastern Europe, will certainly affect us,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

“In this situation we should by all means defend our major asset – the country’s independence, the right to live on our land and make our own decisions,” the President said.

According to the head of state, three things are needed for that: the unity of the Belarusian people, the ability to learn from our mistakes and mistakes made by our neighbors; a clear vision of Belarus’ future that will be able to inspire and unite the older and younger generations.

“We speak a lot about the unity of the people. It is not ritual words. The ancient Bible says: “A house divided against itself will not stand”. Today the history shows us a tragic evidence of this millennial wisdom,” the President said.

“We, Belarusians, do not want the society to split and should not allow it. It is no doubt that our independence and young statehood irritate many a man. If we have a crack in our unity, there will be a lot of those wishing to take the advantage of it,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that thanks to the unity Belarus has been able to build an independent state over the past two decades. It is an achievement our ancestors dreamt about for centuries. “Our course has been chosen by the whole society – young and older generations, workers and peasants, businessmen and intelligentsia, the authorities’ followers and critics. It has been chosen by everyone who is not indifferent to the Fatherland and who loves Belarus. If we maintain our main value, the unity, in the future, Belarus will keep its independence and will continue its sustainable development. Thanks to the unity we have chosen our path in the economy, the path of common sense and justice. We have not allowed pulling our property apart. We have not allowed dividing the society into the poor and the rich. We have protected and supported the man of labor. We have no blazing barricades, destroyed buildings. We do not have our people robbed and killed in broad daylight,” the head of state said.